A submarine with 118 military on board sank in the Barents Sea because of the unsatisfactory state of the Russian army in those days. According to the president, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the country was experiencing difficulties in many areas. "Of course, it could not touch the army," he said in an interview for the film by journalist Andrei Kondrashov, noting that the tragedy is "a manifestation of the general state of the Armed Forces" of that time. Then he only headed the country after the elections and did not know that serious military maneuvers were conducted in the Barents Sea. "What is a sin to conceal, we also know in what state the armed forces were then. Frankly, there is nothing surprising. But the tragedy is colossal, so many people died. Now, in principle, it is established why: explosion in the torpedo compartment, fire, then detonation, ammunition. The case almost burst. And, of course, this can not be forgotten, "Putin said.. The nuclear submarine Kursk sank on August 12, 2000 in the Barents Sea. On board the submarine rocket-carrying cruiser there were 118 people. All of them died. The cause of the tragedy was a torpedo explosion in the nose compartment.